What began as just sewing has now morphed into a Homesteading and self-sufficient blog outlet. Moving to a new state, starting our homestead and trying to do what we can to keep ourselves healthy and saving money. "Use it up, Wear it out or Do without." Is the motto here. I look forward to growing and learning. Come along with me!

29 January 2016

I decided to try and keep track of the things I've made throughout the year. I feel like I made more things than this, but there are some things I'm still working on. Such as the Valentine's day quilt and dress. The Downton Abbey Quilt (I'll never make that pattern again...) and I plan on doing another BOM this year. I might even have enough scraps to make a scrappy log cabin quilt soon enough. I have so many plans and things started that I just haven't finished so I suppose you will see them in 2016s 'Me Made' page! I've also got a few costume pieces that I want to finish up as well. Sometimes you start things and you hit a snag or you just get tired of looking at it and you have to put it down. I'm trying to finish all those things up in 2016.

I made these quilted placemats early in the year.

only made 4 of these squares so far, but they are a lot of work!My Mom and I worked on these together for awhile.(This may have been Christmas 2014 into 2015...)

This is a BOM that I was doing with a friend. I finished mine while she cared for her mother.

We had fun making the big square together and I made it fun to do the rest. She recently showed me an easier way to do those piano keys. Quilting/sewing with friends means you can share your knowledge with each other! So blessed to have such a wonderful friend.

This tiny quilt was a pain in the butt to make. But its a doll quilt. Maybe when I have children they will use it.

This Baby Quilt I made for my neighbor's new baby expected soon!!*update* she was born in Early January. Healthy baby girl, and so cute. :)

I made this bag to carry the baby quilt in from the same fabrics. You can just see the quilt sticking out of the top here.

In my effort to use less plastic in my life and recycle the things I do have I made this grocery bag. Every time I go to the store someone comments on it. It carries a lot, but I usually have to pack it myself. I'm working on another one, which will probably be much smaller.

Do you have problems finishing up all your projects too? My friend, that I did the BOM with above, and I are not buying any more fabric this year until our UFOs are finished this year. She has 7 on her list and I have probably 15... Most of them just need one more thing! I really need some encouragement to finish up! We did add a rule recently, that we would do an abbreviated shopping trip $50 or less, after we finish up 2 of our quilts/projects.

15 January 2016

So, my DH and I have been going to the gym, inconsistently but we're going. I have lost a bit of weight and toned up a lot so some of my clothes we not fitting anymore. I did buy some new jeans last year before the fall capsule wardrobe started. But they are low rise and I don't like how they fit me, so I found some high rise jeans. (I know, you probably think I'm an old lady. But, I like that look and since I'm high waisted they fit my curves really well.

But, I went to church last week and I wore my khakis over my woolies (wool long johns) and I had to keep pulling my pants up. It's very irritating having to constantly pull up your pants for fear of them falling off-especially in church!! I made the decision that I can't wait to get a new pair of pants. (I mean these pants are 2 sizes bigger than the other ones I'm currently wearing.)

I also noticed that my thrifted grey v-neck tee has worn pretty thin and has developed some holes. I'm still wearing it, but it's not going to work for much longer.

I wanted to add a bit more red into my wardrobe as well, so I added a red tee to my order.

From another company I ordered 3 swim suits. I have one now that I wear, but I wanted one that I would feel more confident in while on the beach. We go to Charleston a lot and to my in-laws lake house so I know I'll get a good bit of use out of these. And with going to the beach and crusin' I need at least 2 swim suits, this gives me 4 assuming that they all fit and flatter me. (One reason that I ordered 3 of them.)

I believe it's important to have things that fit your body and your lifestyle. And things wear out eventually. Being a minimalist or doing a capsule wardrobe doesn't mean you can never buy anything, it just means that you are conscientious about what you do buy.
I'm going to have to figure out what to take out of my capsule to add in the red tee. But, I really wanted a red shirt to go with some of my other things.

Since I ordered it all from LL Bean online, I hope it all fits me. When they get here I'll have to try it all on and make sure. We'll see, and I'll let you know how it goes.

08 January 2016

I know, I know. Nobody WANTS to work with people that they don't like or at a place that doesn't value them, but sometimes you just have to stick it out a little bit longer. Maybe you need the insurance, maybe you just want to stay until you find something better, or maybe you need some more experience and then you can move up a level. Sometimes you need to leave, but you need to have the wisdom and the discernment to know when you should stay as well. My old job was at a college and they paid for my tuition. I was trying to finish my degree and I knew that I needed to finish up as much as I could with their help. (Tuition was more than I was making in a year for one semester, not to include books.)I did in the end quit to finish my last semester there, but it worked out well. I was engaged (to my now wonderful husband!) and we worked together on a plan for me to finish my schooling and that I would be able to afford it when I finally left. (There are some things that I actually typed here that my old boss said to me would never happen and I think she was just being mean and spiteful, but I didn't want to be like her; so I deleted them.)I worked 2 jobs for a little while because I was trying desperately to get out of the debt hole I dug for myself. I could blame my ex-husband, but ultimately it was my fault and I dealt with it. I am debt free now and I will remain thus for the duration of my life.

Things I learned working for a horrible boss

1. Sometimes you need to learn humility.

I didn't want to admit that I was prideful. (I think that's part of being prideful.) but I was. I thought that I could do all the things better than anyone else, and hat I didn't need their help. I was wrong. I had always worked with a specific type of people and these new people were different and SO unlike me. I was humbled in the fact that I need to humble myself before God. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." -2 Chronicles 7:14

2. Someone there may need to learn something from YOU.

Maybe your calling is different than mine was, but since I'm writing about my experiences I can only tell you what I know. Maybe you are supposed to be a light to lead others to Christ. "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." -John 13:35I taught a few of the girls how to become debt free and I talked to one extensively about Dave Ramsey and I gave her the website. I really hope that she is now debt free, because no body wants to be a slave. "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." -Proverbs 22:7

3. Learn to work FOR God.

Near the last year I worked there I realized that it didn't matter how the people there treated me or how miserable I was, I was working for the Lord. What an honor and a privilege that should be! I want to hear "Well done good and faithful servant" when I get to heaven. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Colossians 3:23

4. Learn to pray for those who persecute you.

Not everyone is going to like you, in fact quite a few people that you interact with will down right loathe you. Some of them don't have the tact to not tell you that they don't like you in some sort of mean way. There was a girl I worked with who was tactless, rude and downright mean to me and quite a few others. She was the quintessential mean girl that you would recognize from high school. Some how she still managed to be quite popular. She mistreated people and I was one of the few to stand up for others. But, I learned that something in her was broken by watching her. Her and my boss got on quite well, but I was always the "odd one." I'm kind of use to it, but it still hurts none the less. Praying for someone who hates, despises you and does everything in their power to mike your life a nightmare is NOT easy. But, it is worth it. Holding onto that anger will only hurt you. Giving up that pain and hurt to God will make you a better person. But, lets not get prideful again, right?"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," -Matthew 5:44

5. Patience is a hard learned virtue

Patience is never easy to learn. I asked for patience in my life once. God decided to grant me that wish. Placing you in a workplace that you can't wait to run screaming from EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. is definitely going to help you learn patience. I had to learn to be patient for my homestead and now I have it. I had to learn patience to have a wonderful life with my husband, and now I have that as well. But, I did have to go through some hardships to get here. I think it was worth it, and I wholeheartedly hope that it will be for you as well. "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." -Psalms 37:7In the end I feel like God was trying to make me a better person, in several different ways, by working there. I love my life and I wouldn't trade a single day of it away. The trials and experiences that you go through in your life made you who you are today. Remember that we are all works in progress.

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What I aim to do here

I am a full time homesteader (and hopefully soon-mother) and weekend sewing enthusiast. I also like to grow heirloom vegetables and manage my household. In March 2014 we became proud owners of 10 acres that I am working on to become our perfect homestead. I love vintage clothing and obviously homesteading so most of my posts will be related to that. VINTAGE or reproduction patterns and mostly new fabrics. Vintage fabrics are pretty expensive. I'd love to do some more recycled or upcycled clothing as well. I like making costumes. I'm going to be posting some of my finished costumes, but I'll have to find the pictures. If you found me though google+ I appreciate you stopping in. Leave a comment so I know you were here.